Five-Spice Grilled Chicken With Hoisin-Maple Glaze

Tonight’s dinner was VERY much enjoyed by the boys. I liked it too, but chicken is not my favorite thing to eat; it kind of wigs me out. (No, I don’t know why, but poultry of all kinds just gives me the willies.) It was pretty good though. We didn’t cook it on the grill, we gave it grill marks in a cast iron grill pan on the stove over high heat, and finished it in a 350 degree oven for the time recommended over indirect heat. When the chicken came up to temp, we glazed one side and put it under the broiler for about 3 minutes then took it out and flipped it and glazed the other side and broiled again for another 3 minutes. I am also not a fan of savory and sweet mixed, but the dish was not particularly sweet despite the brown sugar, maple syrup, and honey. The glaze was really outstanding. Cleaning up the cast iron pan is a bit of a pain, so a grill, I think, will be preferable. If you are not familiar with 5 spice powder, it is an unusual taste. It is a blend of fennel seeds, star anise, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. This recipe was nice in that it showcased the 5 spice powder, but it was not really overwhelming. I served the chicken with rice with peppers and mushrooms. I’m pretty sure this recipe came from my daily recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine because I think it is the only one that offers nutritional information with the recipes.

Five-Spice Grilled Chicken With Hoisin-Maple Glaze
2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. sweet Hungarian paprika
1 Tbs. minced fresh garlic -(about 3 -large cloves)
2 -1/2 tsp. Chinese -five-spice powder
1 t ground fennel seed
1 t dry mustard
Kosher salt and freshly -ground black -pepper
3 lb bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, and -wings)
1/4 c hoisin sauce
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. honey
2 t Asian sesame oil
2 t minced fresh ginger
1/4 c peanut or canola oil

Tip: Indirect grilling is a must for chicken on the bone so the chicken can cook through before the outside burns. Don’t glaze the chicken until just before its done, or the glaze will burn; watch for
flare-ups after the glaze goes on.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic, 2 tsp. of the five-spice, fennel, mustard, 1 Tbs. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper. Put the chicken pieces in a 9x13-inch baking dish and rub the spice mix all
over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and no more than 6 hours.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill fire for indirect cooking over medium heat (325F to 375F). In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, maple syrup, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. five-spice powder. Lightly brush the chicken pieces with the peanut oil and arrange skin side own over direct heat. Cover and cook until grill marks form, 3 to 5 minutes. If the chicken flares up, immediately move it to indirect heat. Flip the chicken and mark the other side, 2 minutes more. Move
the chicken to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Cover and cook, occasionally rearranging the pieces to ensure even cooking, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165F (breast pieces) to 170F (leg pieces), 30 to 45 minutes.
Generously brush the glaze on the chicken and flip glaze side down over to the hotter part of the grill. Cook until the glaze is bubbly and deep red, 30 to 60 seconds. Brush more glaze on the top of the chicken, flip, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Prepare a perfect summer meal by serving the grilled chicken with a Tomato, Feta, and Chickpea Salad and Triple Ginger Ice Cream Sandwiches for dessert.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 440; Fat (g): 24; Fat Calories (kcal): 220; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 35; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): 20; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 7; Sodium (mg): 1050; Cholesterol (mg) : 105; Fiber (g): 1;